The present invention relates to a surgical light apparatus, and particularly, to a reflector for a surgical light apparatus. More particularly, the present invention relates to a surgical light reflector having a concave reflector surface for reflecting light onto a surgical site.
Surgical lights used in hospital operating rooms to illuminate surgical sites on patients are known. Many surgical lights are suspended from a ceiling of a hospital room by arm mechanisms which are movable to permit adjustment of the location of the surgical light relative to the patient. It is common for surgical lights to be placed in a position behind a surgeon such that the surgeon's head is located between the surgical light and the surgical site. Surgical lights having a dome-shaped reflector to reflect light toward the surgical site around the head of the surgeon are known. It is desirable for surgical lights to provide a high illuminance level, to shine light deeply into a patient's body cavity, and to resist shadowing caused by interference from personnel and instruments.
According to the present invention, a surgical lighthead includes a light source having a reference point defined thereon and a reflector including a concave reflector surface which has a central axis. The concave reflector surface is formed to include a plurality of facets configured to reflect light emanating from the light source. Each facet extends between an associated pair of longitudinal boundary lines and an associated pair of latitudinal boundary lines. The plurality of facets includes a first set of facets for which each associated longitudinal boundary line is angularly spaced by a first angle from each of the next adjacent boundary lines relative to the central axis. In addition, the plurality of facets includes a second set of facets for which each associated longitudinal boundary line is angularly spaced by a second angle from each of the next adjacent boundary lines relative to the central axis.
In preferred embodiments, the first latitudinal boundary lines are angularly spaced relative to the reference point by a different amount than the second latitudinal boundary lines are angularly spaced relative to the reference point. The first set of facets are arranged so as to contribute primarily to shadow reduction performance of the surgical lighthead and the second set of facets are arranged to contribute primarily to pattern size performance of the surgical lighthead.
Additional features and advantages of the present invention will become apparent to those skilled in the art upon consideration of the following detailed description of preferred embodiments exemplifying the best mode of carrying out the invention as presently perceived.